Blowing machine for loosefill insulation material

Abstract

A machine for distributing blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool includes a chute configured to receive the bag, a shredder mounted at an outlet end of the chute and configured to shred the bag and to pick apart the blowing wool, a rotatably mounted ripper, distinct from the shredder, mounted to rip apart a portion of the bag, and a blower for distributing the blowing wool and shredded bag into an airstream.

1. A machine for distributing blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool, the machine comprising:
 a chute configured to receive the bag and direct the bag in a machine direction; 
 a shredder mounted at an outlet end of the chute and configured to shred the bag and to pick apart the blowing wool, the shredder including a plurality of blades mounted for rotation on a shaft, the shaft aligned generally perpendicular to the machine direction; 
 a rotatably mounted ripper, distinct from the shredder, mounted to rip apart a portion of the bag, the ripper including a rotatably mounted roller having a plurality of triangularly-shaped cutting teeth positioned along the length of the roller and a framework intersecting the roller at a first location, the framework having a cutting edge including triangularly-shaped gaps complimentary to the cutting teeth on the roller such that portions of the bag enmesh between the cutting teeth of the roller and the cutting edge of the framework will be ripped apart; and 
 a blower for distributing the blowing wool and shredded bag into an airstream. 
 
     
     
       2. The machine of  claim 1  in which the chute has a cross section which approximates the cross section of the bag. 
     
     
       3. The machine of  claim 1  including spacers spacing apart the blades, the spacers having a mechanism which picks apart the wool between the cuts. 
     
     
       4. The machine of  claim 3  in which the mechanism for picking apart the wool is plow shaped. 
     
     
       5. The machine of  claim 3  wherein the spacer has a mechanism for removing the blowing wool between the cuts. 
     
     
       6. The machine of  claim 1  in which the shredder is mounted for rotation, and in which the rotation defines a leading edge and a trailing edge of the bag, and further in which the ripper is mounted to rip apart the trailing edge of the bag. 
     
     
       7. The machine of  claim 1  in which the cutting teeth of the roller are spaced apart from other teeth circumferentially about the roller. 
     
     
       8. The machine of  claim 1  in which framework includes a second cutting edge intersecting the roller at a different location from the first location. 
     
     
       9. A method of distributing blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool, the method comprising:
 providing a bag of compressed blowing wool; 
 feeding the bag of compressed blowing wool into a chute configured to receive the bag; 
 shredding the bag with a shredder and picking apart the compressed blowing wool at an outlet end of the chute, wherein the shredder rotates in a clockwise and counter-clockwise motion; 
 ripping a portion of the bag with a ripper, the ripper including a rotatably mounted roller having a plurality of triangularly-shaped cutting teeth positioned along the length of the roller and a framework intersecting the roller at a first location, the framework having a cutting edge including triangularly-shaped gaps complimentary to the cutting teeth on the roller such that portions of the bag enmesh between the cutting teeth of the roller and the cutting edge of the framework will be ripped apart; and 
 distributing the blowing wool and shredded bag into an airstream. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  in which the shredder is mounted for rotation, and in which the rotation defines a leading edge and a trailing edge of the bag, and in which the ripping step rips apart the trailing edge of the bag. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  in which the blowing wool in the bag of blowing wool is compressed to a compression ratio of at least 5:1. 
     
     
       12. A method of distributing blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool, the method comprising:
 providing a bag of compressed blowing wool; 
 removing an end of the bag; 
 shredding the remainder of the bag with a shredder and picking apart the compressed blowing wool, the shredder including a plurality of blades mounted for rotation on a shaft, the shaft aligned generally perpendicular to a machine direction; 
 ripping a portion of the bag with a ripper, the ripper including a rotatably mounted roller having a plurality of triangularly-shaped cutting teeth positioned along the length of the roller and a framework intersecting the roller at a first location, the framework having a cutting edge having triangularly-shaped gaps complimentary to the cutting teeth on the roller such that portions of the bag emnesh between the cutting teeth of the roller and the cutting edge of the framework will be ripped apart; and 
 distributing the blowing wool and shredded bag into an airstream. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  in which the shredder is mounted for rotation, and in which the rotation defines a leading edge and a trailing edge of the bag, and in which the ripping step rips apart the trailing edge of the bag. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  including removing another end of the bag prior to the shredding step. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12  in which the removing step comprises tearing away a tear-away portion of the bag. 
     
     
       16. A machine for distributing blowing wool from a bag of compressed blowing wool, the machine comprising:
 a chute configured to receive the bag; 
 a shredder mounted to an outlet end of the chute and configured to shred the bag and pick apart the blowing wool, wherein said shredder rotates in a clockwise and counter-clockwise motion; 
 a rotatably mounted ripper, distinct from the shredder, mounted to rip apart a portion of the bag, the ripper including a rotatably mounted roller having a plurality of triangularly-shaped cutting teeth positioned along the length of the roller and a framework intersecting the roller at a first location, the framework having a cutting edge including triangularly-shaped gaps complimentary to the cutting teeth on the roller such that portions of the bag enmesh between the cutting teeth of the roller and the cutting edge of the framework will be ripped apart; and 
 a blower for distributing the blowing wool and shredded bag into an airstream; 
 wherein said chute comprises at least one guide for holding said bag in place as said shredder shreds the bag. 
 
     
     
       17. The machine of  claim 16  in which the chute has a cross section which approximates the cross section of the bag. 
     
     
       18. The machine of  claim 16  in which the chute is configured to direct the bag in a machine direction, and in which the shredder includes a plurality of spaced apart blades, mounted for rotation on an axis, with the blades being generally parallel to the machine direction, and with the blades adapted make cuts in the bag of blowing wool. 
     
     
       19. The machine of  claim 18  including spacers spacing apart the blades, the spacers having a mechanism which picks apart the wool between the cuts. 
     
     
       20. The machine of  claim 19  in which the mechanism for picking apart the wool is plow shaped. 
     
     
       21. The machine of  claim 19  wherein the spacer has a mechanism for removing the blowing wool between the cuts. 
     
     
       22. The machine of  claim 15  in which the shredder is mounted for rotation, and in which the rotation defines a leading edge and a trailing edge of the bag, and further in which the ripper is mounted to rip apart the trailing edge of the bag.